Kael lay sprawled on the lush green lawn, his fingers dancing amidst the roots of the flowers as he poked at the insects hiding there. His bright blue eyes sparkled with fascination, but his usual carefree smile was noticeably absent.Justine emerged from the mansion's front door, his footsteps crunching on the gravel path as he approached the lawn. On spotting Kael, a warm smile spread across his face, and he called out, "Hey, buddy! What are you up to?" Kael's response was a mere grunt, his gaze still fixed on the flowers. Justine's smile faltered, and he quickened his pace, his concern growing with each step. He knelt down beside Kael, his voice low and gentle. "Hey Kael, what's wrong? Are you alright?"Kael nodded, then his eyes slowly lifted, the corners of his mouth drooping downward. His bright blue eyes had lost their sparkle, and his eyebrows furrowed, creasing his forehead in a map of worry.Justine's heart skipped a beat as he took in Kael's troubled features, his mind rac
BROOKSTONE CLAN The evening air was cool and calm in the Alphahold of Brookstone, where the seven Alphas of the Realm had convened. The air was think with tension as they all sat around a large, ornate table, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns. Alpha Cochram of Brookstone, the moderator of the Alpha Convention, sat at the head of the table, his dark brown eyes surveying the gathering."The matter that has brings us all here this evening, is one of great importance." Alpha Cochram began, his deep voice commanding attention. "The ongoing war between Villapaw and Lunarville has reached a critical point. As guardians of this Realm, it is imperative we find a solution to this crisis, and put a stop to this senseless bloodshed."Alpha Thane of Lunarville shifted in his seat. His brown hair was mussed, and his piercing blue eyes appeared weary. The two-year-long war had evidently taken its toll, etching deep lines on his forehead and around his eyes. Yet, despite the exha
As Thane stood outside, feeling the darkness descend on the courtyard, his mind reeled with the thoughts of the war that he had declared immediately he came back from New York. Part of him felt very grateful for this convention, even though the other part of him didn't really want to end the war without totally wiping Villapaw out. However, many of the Alphas had shown their staunch support for him, against Villapaw, and for that, he was deeply grateful. The war had to end. Many of his fighters were dead, even though the number of their dead was nothing compared to that of Villapaw. But the war had to end, Thane knew that. So when a short while later they were invited back into the courtyard, his mind was already made up to accept whatever peace settlements the convention would have drawn up. "Alpha Thane," Alpha Cochram began. "On behalf of all the Alphas of the Realm, we implore you to halt the hostilities against Villapaw. While you may have valid reasons to continue this war, t
Kael stepped out of the Honda CR-V as soon as it pulled into the compound, his face brightening as he felt the familiar comfort of his home's surroundings. Without so much as a glance at his driver who had hurriedly stepped out to open the door for him, he crossed the lawn in a little run, making immediately for the front door and down the hall to his room. One look at his room and he could tell that his mother had been in there. His bed which he had left rumpled and untidy was now neatly made. His toys had been arranged properly on his dressing table, and his comic books that he'd scattered all over the floor had been neatly placed in his bookshelf. Kael smiled. What would he do without his mom? He dropped his backpack on the bed and headed to his mother's room. He found Lylah lying on her bed, reading a book. She looked up as he entered, a warm smile spreading across her face."Hey, sweetheart!" she exclaimed, flinging the book aside and rushing up from the bed to envelop him in
Dr. Ganner's office was a testament to his profession as a scientist - a sleek, modern space with polished steel and glass accents. The air was crisp and clean, with a hint of citrus from the air purifier humming quietly in the corner. Various contraptions and gadgets, some of which Kael couldn't even begin to identify, cluttered the workbenches and tables. Dr. Ganner gestured to a chair, and Kael sat, it's leather creaking softly as his weight settled on it. Justine stood off to the side, his eyes fixed intently on Kael. "This will only take a moment," Dr. Ganner said, his voice soothing as he tied a rubber tourniquet around Kael's arm. Kael watched as Dr. Ganner inserted the needle into Kael's vein. The syringe filled with a deep crimson liquid, and he felt a slight pinch, but it was over quickly.Dr. Ganner withdrew the needle and pressed a cotton ball to Kael's arm, smiling warmly as he did. But Kael wasn't looking at him. Instead, his gaze was fixed on Justine, his eyes searchi
Kael trudged down the hallway, his feet dragging along the floor. His eyes were cast downward, his eyebrows furrowed in a puzzled expression. His small face was scrunched up in concentration, his lips pursed in a determined line. When he reached his mother's room, he raised his hand and knocked softly on the door. Almost immediately, Lylah swung the door open, and as soon as she took in his bewildered expression, her eyes widened in alarm. "Kael, are you alright?" She asked, her voice soft with worry as she stepped aside to let him in. "Should I make you something to eat now?" Kael didn't respond. Instead he walked into the room, his gaze focusing on nothing in particular. Lylah shut the door and approached him, the lines on her forehead deepening with worry. The room was dimly lit, with only a few rays of sunlight peeling through the window curtains and casting a sense of gloom over the space. "You done with the homework already?" She prodded, looking Kael over. Kael shook his h
Lylah's words seemed to hang in the air, with the walls of the room appearing to close in on them. Kael's eyes widened, his face pale, as if he'd been punched in the gut. The silence was oppressive, heavy with anticipation.And then, suddenly, Kael's face contorted into a laugh. "This is a joke, right, mom?" he asked, his tiny voice shaking with amusement as it rang through the quiet room. "You and Justine planned this whole thing, didn't you? A big prank to see how gullible I am? I never said I was that bored!"Lylah's face remained serious, her eyes locked on Kael's. There was no hint of a smile, no glimmer of amusement. Kael's laughter faltered, his eyes narrowing as he searched his mother's face for any sign of deception.But there was none.Lylah's expression was grim, her eyes filled with a deep sadness. Kael's heart sank, his mind racing with questions."I don't... dont understand, did you really mean that, mom? ?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.Lylah's nodded s
It had begun to snow, the chill it brought building up a serene silence over the room. Lylah and Kael sat on her bed, surrounded by the warm glow of electric lamplight. The air was thick with tension, the only sound the soft hum of the heater.Lylah's eyes were fixed on her son, her brow furrowed in concern. Kael's eyes were narrowed, his jaw clenched in skepticism. He sat with his back against the headboard, his arms crossed over his chest.Lylah took a deep breath, her shoulders sagging slightly as she began to speak."I was born into a world of privilege and power," she said, her voice low and measured. "My father was one of the high lords, a prominent person among our people. In our clan we had our own laws, way of life, and customs."Kael's eyes were fixed on Lylah's, his expression intent. "So you must have had quite a nice childhood then?"Lylah's eyes drifted away, a hint of nostalgia flickering across her face. "Well, it wasn't bad... I had a perfectly normal life. My best fr
Kael sat in the dim stillness of his room, hunched forward on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, hands clasped tightly as if trying to hold himself together. The quiet buzz of the bedside lamp was the only sound in the room, but inside his mind, it was chaos. Thoughts darted like startled birds, refusing to settle. His jaw was clenched, and his chest rose and fell in uneven rhythm. He had stood in the boardroom with fire in his voice, resolve in his posture. He had assured Justine of his unwavering conviction—or so he’d tried to convince himself.But now… here, alone… it didn’t feel so resolute.Dr. Ganner... Uncle Peter.The image of him being dragged out of the boardroom flashed in Kael’s mind again and again like a film reel on repeat. His silence, and the resigned look in his eyes, and Justine’s words. “He lost heart. Betrayed the mission.”But Kael knew Dr. Ganner. Knew the steadiness of his judgment, the quiet force behind his ideas. He had always been Justine’s most tru
Kael stood frozen in the hallway, his mind a storm of disbelief. The sight of Dr. Ganner dragged from the floor and escorted out like a criminal, had lodged itself in his chest like a blade. What on earth was going on? “Come in, Kael,” Justine said firmly, as though he had read Kael's confused thoughts. Kael stepped inside, his eyes wide with confusion. “What's happening?” he asked, his voice low but trembling. “Why did you let them treat uncle Peter like that?”Justine let out a slow breath, not looking at Kael at first. “He betrayed me.”“Betrayed you?” Kael echoed, stunned. “What are you talking about? You two have been friends since even before I was born! He practically raised me with you.”Justine turned to face him. His eyes were dark, steady. “That doesn’t change what he did.”Kael stepped closer, struggling to understand. “What did he do? What could he possibly have done that made you punch him and call security on him?”“We’ve come too far, Kael,” Justine said, looking Kae
Justine stared at him, incredulous. “Abort?” he asked. “What on earth are you talking about?” Dr. Ganner didn’t look away. His voice was steady, not pleading—just firm. “This sounds stupid, especially coming me, I know. But we have no choice, we have to abort.”Justine stared at him, unblinking. “Is this your idea of a joke, Peter? Because if it is, you should know better.”Dr. Ganner swallowed, evidently looking for the right words. “We need to abort. I wouldn't be saying this if I wasn't absolutely sure there was no other way.”“And why do we need to do that?” Justine fired, visibly getting annoyed at this new, unexpected development. “Can you even hear yourself? What sort of talk is this?” Dr. Ganner stood up slowly, pushing his chair away as he did. “I've been running some more tests on the Kyrexin-X, Justine, I found out some things, we need to work more on it.”Justine’s jaw tightened. “The Kyrexin-X is ready. Tested. Perfected. You’re the one who helped create it. You approve
NEW YORKThe boardroom lights cast a sterile white sheen across the long transparent table. Around it sat the core of the operation: Commander Harris resplendent in uniform, flanked by his top lieutenants; logistics and transport heads; medical coordinators; and Dr. Ganner, seated near the far end with his tablet idle before him.At the head of the table, Justine stood tall, sharp in a dark tailored suit, a digital schematic glowing behind him.“In five days,” Justine was saying, voice clear and commanding, “we launch the final phase of this mission.”Silence reigned as all eyes locked onto him.“The Kyrexin-X dispersal device is now fully functional. We've confirmed its efficacy across every tested sample. One release—just one—is potent enough to wipe out ten thousand werewolves. We’ve engineered ten additional refills, each safely contained and shielded until needed.”He tapped the screen, cycling through projected maps of the werewolf realm.“Deployment will be centered in the Heart
The Living Room was quiet now. The hearth still crackled faintly, the scent of warm bread still lingered in the air, but the room felt hollow—emptied of voices, of presence.Thane stood alone, arms folded behind his back, staring once more through the tall arched window. Outside, the silver dusk had begun to descend over Lunarville, and the faint sounds of training echoed in the far distance—arrows thudding into wood, warriors barking commands, the occasional howl cutting through the wind.But inside him, there was only silence.He no longer had a Luna to speak with since his two mates got lost to fate and the last ran for her life. Drena, too, hadn’t visited in a while. He’d never minded the solitude before. He’d built his rule on decisiveness, not public opinion. And yet, now… he longed for a voice to complement his own. A physical presence. A confidante. And it was in that yearning that his mind drifted, once again, to Lylah.The ache came softly, like fog curling through the crac
The days that followed the quiet meeting in the strategy chamber were anything but quiet.Thane, together with Alpha Billam and Alpha Cochram, wasted no time. With the alliance now formed—small as it was—they began fortifying Lunarville and their own clans. Patrols were doubled. Old signal towers were repaired and rekindled. Hidden caches of silver-resistant armor were dug up from storage, and training resumed with renewed intensity.Archers were drilled from dawn till dusk, their arrows tipped with sharpened obsidian and infused with wolfsbane extracts in case of ambush. Gauntlets—thick, rune-etched iron bracers designed to deflect both blades and bullets—were redistributed to front-line fighters. Trap-masters, a nearly forgotten order from the First Hunt Era, were summoned back into service to lay intricate trigger snares through the outer paths of the Heartwood.Fire pits laced with scented herbs to mask scent trails were dug near every village boundary. Night sentinels were traine
LUNARVILLE The hearth crackled quietly in Lunarville's strategy chamber, its warmth casting shifting amber light across the stone walls. Afternoon sunlight filtered through high windows, illuminating the maps and war tokens spread across the long table.Alpha Thane sat at the head, jaw tight, eyes on the flames rather than the two Alphas seated with him. The silence between them was heavy—not hostile, but thoughtful.It was Alpha Billam who broke it.“I know it felt like last week's convention was a failure,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “But don’t let that deter you. All isn't lost yet.”Thane didn’t respond at once, but his eyes flicked briefly toward Billam.Billam continued, “For what it’s worth, I stand with you. And you know I mean that fully. Unity is the only way forward, and though the others can’t—or won’t—see that yet, some of us do.” He glanced at the other man across the table. “Cochram agrees.”Alpha Cochram gave a short nod. “I do. After I slept on it, I couldn’t
The sterile air in the lab still shimmered faintly with the heat of success. The scientists’ footsteps had barely faded from the corridor, and the applause they had given still rang in Justine's ear. The moment had felt victorious, but Dr. Ganner's last words were now threatening to throw him off balance. He had remained where he stood, his hands behind his back, eyes fixed on the matte-black weapon at the center of the table. Beside him, Dr. Ganner was no longer smiling.“Well?” Justine asked, his voice low. “What kind of problems?”Dr. Ganner didn’t answer immediately. He moved to a nearby screen, fingers tapping with habitual precision until streams of data and gene sequences rolled into view. His expression was taut.“I’ve encountered challenges with developing the antidote,” he said. “Serious challenges.”Justine’s brow furrowed as he turned toward his friend. “Peter, you’ve had weeks. You've had Kael’s blood for ages, full lab access, state of the art equipment, financial suppo
The research lab on the second floor buzzed with quiet urgency. Blueprints were spread across metal tables, glowing monitors tracked chemical reactions, and at the center of the room sat the Kyrexin-X—a matte black, angular device. Its surface was fitted with slim vents and illuminated digital panels that pulsed with soft blue light, casting a faint glow onto the surrounding equipment.A group of white-coated scientists moved with precision around the device, performing final checks and calibrations.In the far corner, Justine stood beside Dr. Ganner, observing the work going on before them. Right behind them, Kael stood in front of a desk, watching them with apprehension.“I believe we should move in a week,” Justine said, his voice calm but resolute. “They’re tightening their patrols. Harris’ intel confirms it. If we wait too long, we lose the element of surprise.”Dr. Ganner stroked his grey-speckled beard thoughtfully. “And I believe a fortnight is more prudent,” he said with gent